Temporary Protected Status for Afghanistan has ended. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem terminated the designation, and Afghanistan TPS benefits are no longer in effect as of July 22, 2025.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Temporary Protected Status Designated Country: Afghanistan USCIS is not accepting new applications, existing work authorization tied to Afghan TPS has expired, and the court challenge that tried to block the termination did not succeed. Afghan nationals in the United States who relied on TPS now need to look at a much narrower set of options.
When the Termination Took Effect
DHS published the termination notice in the Federal Register on May 13, 2025. Federal law requires at least 60 days between publication and the effective date of a TPS termination, so the original effective date was July 14, 2025.2Federal Register. Termination of the Designation of Afghanistan for Temporary Protected Status Litigation briefly held the termination in abeyance, and USCIS now lists benefits as no longer in effect as of July 22, 2025.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Temporary Protected Status Designated Country: Afghanistan
During the transition window, DHS automatically extended Employment Authorization Documents in the A-12 or C-19 category with expiration dates of November 20, 2023, or May 20, 2025, through July 14, 2025. Those EADs are no longer valid for work. There is no grace period beyond that window, and there is no renewal option.
Why the Court Case Did Not Save It
An advocacy organization sued in CASA v. Noem to keep Afghan TPS in place. The district court denied a stay on July 10, 2025. The Fourth Circuit granted a short administrative stay, then denied a stay pending appeal on July 21, 2025, which allowed the termination to take effect. The plaintiff dismissed the appeal on July 23. No injunction is in place, so the termination stands.
What Remains Available to Afghan Nationals
With TPS gone, the remaining pathways are limited, and several of them have their own restrictions or deadlines that have already passed.
Re-Parole for Operation Allies Welcome Arrivals
Many Afghan nationals entered the United States on humanitarian parole through Operation Allies Welcome. Parole is time-limited, and expiration leaves the person without lawful status unless something else is in place. USCIS has said it will consider certain Afghan parolees for re-parole automatically, on a case-by-case basis, if they were paroled with an OAR or PAR class of admission between July 30, 2021, and September 30, 2022, and meet additional requirements such as a pending asylum or adjustment of status application filed before their initial parole expired.3U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Information for Afghan Nationals Parolees who do not fit the automatic consideration criteria must file Form I-131 before their parole period runs out.
Asylum
Asylum is the pathway most likely to matter for former Afghan TPS holders, because unlike TPS it can lead to lawful permanent residence. An applicant must show a well-founded fear of persecution based on race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group. The one-year filing deadline generally applies from the date of arrival in the United States, although a period of TPS coverage can stop that clock while TPS was in effect. The interaction between a prior TPS grant and a pending asylum case is complex enough that anyone in this situation should speak with an immigration attorney before filing. Backlogs are long.
Special Immigrant Visas Are Effectively Closed
The Afghan Special Immigrant Visa program covered translators, interpreters, and others who worked with the U.S. government or military in Afghanistan. Effective January 1, 2026, the State Department fully suspended visa issuance to Afghan nationals under Presidential Proclamation 10998, and the suspension covers Afghan SIVs. The deadline to apply for Chief of Mission approval was December 31, 2025, and the deadline to submit supporting documentation was June 5, 2026.4U.S. Department of State. Special Immigrant Visas for Afghans – Who Were Employed by the U.S. Government For most Afghan nationals this pathway is no longer open.
The Afghan Adjustment Act Has Not Passed
The Afghan Adjustment Act, H.R. 4895 in the current Congress, would create a route for Afghan evacuees to become lawful permanent residents. It has been introduced but has not advanced.5U.S. Congress. H.R.4895 – 119th Congress (2025-2026): Afghan Adjustment Act Do not plan around a bill that has not become law.
Special Student Relief for F-1 Students
Afghan nationals studying on F-1 visas may qualify for Special Student Relief if a Federal Register notice designating Afghanistan for SSR is in effect. When active, SSR lets eligible students facing severe economic hardship work additional hours during the school term and carry a reduced course load without losing status.6U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. F-1 Special Student Relief Fact Sheet The hour limits and course-load minimums come from the applicable Federal Register notice, so check with your designated school official for what is currently in force.
Do Not Leave the Country Without Advice
When TPS was active, beneficiaries could apply for advance travel authorization on Form I-131 and, if approved, receive Form I-512T to leave and return.7U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Application for Travel Documents, Parole Documents, and Arrival/Departure Records That option is gone. A former TPS holder who leaves the United States without some other valid status or travel document may be unable to return. This is one of the sharpest practical effects of the termination. Get legal advice before making any travel plans.
Practical Next Steps
Tens of thousands of people lost work authorization and removal protection when Afghan TPS ended. In terms of removal risk and eligibility to work, a former TPS holder without another status is now in the same position as any other undocumented person in the country.
The most useful thing you can do is talk to an immigration attorney or a Department of Justice accredited representative about your specific situation. Some former TPS holders have a family-based or employment-based petition they can pursue. Others have viable asylum claims. Legal aid organizations that serve immigrant communities often offer free or low-cost consultations for households below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, though income cutoffs and availability differ by organization.
Fee waivers are available for many USCIS filings tied to other benefits. Form I-912 lets you request a waiver based on inability to pay.8U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-912, Request for Fee Waiver Before you send in a filing fee for asylum, adjustment of status, or any other application, check whether that specific form is eligible.